By Jun Manurung, Editor-in-Chief
POSMETRO.ID - The discourse surrounding the possibility of the President of the Republic of Indonesia joining the Balance of Power (BoP) axis initiated by former U.S. President Donald Trump has sparked widespread debate. Amid an increasingly fragmented global geopolitical landscape—divided among the West, China, Russia, and emerging regional powers—Indonesia’s every strategic diplomatic move cannot be viewed in black and white. There are clear opportunities, but also serious risks that deserve sober consideration.
Joining the BoP could potentially strengthen Indonesia’s bargaining position on the international stage. Closer alignment with the United States may open wider access to economic cooperation, foreign investment, advanced technology, and defense partnerships. At a time of global economic slowdown, such diplomatic channels could serve as a catalyst for accelerating national development.
Moreover, Indonesia’s participation in the BoP would provide an opportunity to help shape global policy directions, rather than merely observing from the sidelines. As a major Southeast Asian nation and a G20 member, Indonesia could leverage this platform to advocate for the interests of developing countries—particularly on critical issues such as food security, energy resilience, and climate change.
However, this move also carries serious consequences. Aligning with a bloc explicitly designed to counterbalance other powers—particularly China and Russia—risks undermining Indonesia’s long-standing free and active foreign policy doctrine, which has been the cornerstone of its diplomacy for decades.
Indonesia could be drawn into global power rivalries that do not fully align with its national interests. Strategic relations with China—Indonesia’s largest trading partner—as well as ties with Non-Aligned Movement countries could be strained. Rather than acting as a neutral balancer, Indonesia may be perceived as siding with a particular bloc—an outcome it has deliberately avoided throughout its modern history.
Geopolitical choices are not merely about today; they shape a nation’s strategic legacy. Whether to join Trump’s BoP must be weighed through careful calculation: how tangible are the benefits for the people, and how great is the risk of losing diplomatic independence?
Indonesia’s strength lies precisely in its ability to engage with all sides, not in aligning itself with a single power axis. In an increasingly polarized world, maintaining a smart and principled distance can often be more valuable than openly joining a bloc.
Ultimately, what is required is not the courage to choose sides, but the wisdom to remain firmly in the middle—assertive, sovereign, and dignified.
